visitanos

Chile

We recognized that you liked the other article about “chilenismo” and we think that you are interested in knowing more about how Chilean people speak. Because really it seams that Chilean people sometimes try to setting themselves apart from the rest of South American Spanish.

MI self I didn’t spoke Spanish before I came to chile and I wanted to learn Spanish, so I studied for a while. But only studying you still will have problems to understand some people here… 🙂 so I tried to speak as much as possible with Chileans, but then I had the problem that my teachers told me that if I speak like this in spain, they won’t understand me 🙂 but I like the Chilean Spanish, even if its not very helpful for formal speaking…. So here I will show you some sentences, touch phrases and comparisons that I heard during my time in chile and found all over internet…

First some words you have to know, some of them you already rode the last time, but to fresh up and show you some new ones.

From the verb cachar meaning “to catch,” so “do you catch?” it means the same like “you know?” or “you got it?”

¿Qué onda?

informal way to mean, “what’s going on?” or “how’s it going?” With a little more emphasis and a bit of indignation, ¿qué onda? can mean, “what’s wrong with you?” or “what’s your deal?”

Sipo

“Si” means “yes” and the “po” comes from the Word “pues” wich could be translatet like “well” but Chilean people doesn’t use it only for well, they almost put it at the endd of every expression. For example : Yapo, nopo, no cachai po, donde estai po, tai loco po,….

Completo

This delicious Chilean specialty is nothing more than a grilled hotdog smothered in avocado, chopped tomatoes, and mayonnaise. And it tastes especially good after a party when you have some munchies,…

Carretear

Carretear means “to party!” This phrase is not intended for a 5-year-old’s birthday party; instead, it is reserved for all-night drinking benders, bar-hops and barbeques. Carreterefers to the party it self.

Pololo

The normal Word for boyfriend or girlfriend(polola) here in chile when it isn’t still that serious. When it gets more serious you call It novio o novia, but to call your girlfriend like this you almost have to be promised.

Fome and Bakan

Pronounced “foh me,” this Chilenismo translates best to “lame.” (Example: this party is lame.) The exact opposite is bakan, pronounced “bak án,” meaning “awesome” or “cool.”

Second the comparisons, Chilean people us that very often and I can’t translate them with the sense they have but I think you should understand, at least some of them: Enfatizar una situación, haciendo una comparación graciosa:

– Más prendido que tele de conserje = more on than the televisión of a guardian

– Más raro que paco rubio = stranger than a blond cop

– Más helado que pasillo de yogurt = colder that the corridor where are the yogurt

I hope this will help you to understand a little bit better the chilean people!? and i hope you could laught about the one or the other, even if you are chilean 🙂 i am sure i will learn more to teach you more stuff like this!!

The year 2014 started well quiet. We stayed for New Year at the hostel with some guests who later went to see the great show of fireworks and then returned to the hostel and we were up until early in the morning, enjoying the beginning of a new stage.

We invited everyone to enjoy the summer with us, travel, enjoy, relax and have fun!! Throughout the year we try to motivate you to come and it worked with many of you J

We had here many good people wave, crazy, loving ….

In the first half of the year many things happened in Chile that affected many people. First was the earthquake in the north and after the fire in Valparaiso. We tried to help what we could.

After all that was already coming autumn and that was the start of the biggest event this year: World Cup !! We had a lot of faith, because now everyone knows that “chile mete miedo”!! All the exciting moments we shared, the match against Spain that made story … and all we were with the Brazilians here at the hostel, just at the time when we do not rely …:) was nice to share those moments here at aji watching the games with you dear people, enjoyed sick !!

During the world cup came the winter and so the snow. Many people who for the first time went to the snow and felt the magic …

And suddenly the magic got back to the hostel too. It came the magician and friend of the hostel Oscar Duval! We loved his tricks …

During that time equal to Chilesertur participate in Winter tourism fair.

And then came the moment we were all waiting. We work so fed up and finally it was time: they gave us the seal of sustainability !!!

While that, we were working on our new blog! A Blog with stories, Traveltips, Budget, Santiago, …

In our blog we started to show you what you can do here in Santiago, what is so special about Aji Hostel, which trips can be made from here …. We will continue with that, I hope you enjoy it and it serves you.

At the end of winter we started with our new company, Internship and Travel, an agency for foreigners who want to come to Chile to practice, volunteer work, Spanish course or more… So if you want to come to Chile to work, write us!

And it was time for spring and with it came the September 18th! Had cueca dancing in the living room, or trying to dance… J

Then we signed in for “compitemas”, which is a platform that aims to support progress on Sustainability of small and medium Chilean companies. We want to be more sustainable yet

In the last stage of this year, we were already thinking about the year ahead, to make your stay even more enjoyable.

But if we think in 2014, mostly we think about all of you, in happy and humorous moments spent in all roasts, parties, on “Miercoles Po” … and we want to thank all of you who stayed with us this year … Hopefully some of you we are going to see in 2015!

Thanks to our staff who accompanied us this year … some took another path now, wish them well and will miss them. Some new people arrived and we wish them have a good time next year with all of you, luck and encouragement!

From all our heart we wish all of you, our dear guests and friends, the best for the next year, their upcoming trips and adventures!!

English:

The Island that isn’t an Island!

The Trip and the arriving

If traveling from Santiago roughly 110 kilometers to the west come to a place called “Isla Negra” (“the Black Island”). From Providencia you take the red line to the central station and from there take a bus that goes to the coast and leave you there.

One comes to Black Island and the first and most surprising is that it is not an island … What you see after is the bus stop which is spectacular and I find it super cute. It is made of cement, but in between there are old glass bottles that let light into different colors … well above the bus stop, whereabouts sails are hoisted ….

The House of Pablo Neruda

Whereabouts you walk few meters undulating dirt roads and flanked by large pines, to find the third house of Pablo Neruda (mentioned in the article valpo too). Today this house belongs to the Neruda Foundation. The house is now a museum and has guided tour. Throughout the house you can marvel at the different objects that the poet collected throughout his life: figureheads, masks of various shapes and backgrounds, bottles, photographs, boxes of strange insects and butterflies, pottery from Latin America, carved figures Rapa Nui, watches, navigation instruments, globes and shells of all sizes are some of them.

If one makes the tour of the house they will tell you many stories. The house was the last house of Pablo Neruda, he died there and now beside the house you can visit the grave of him and his last wife …

Pablo Neruda is surely not the only artist in Isla Negra, may be the only one so famous … so far at least … The village is full of artists, craft, inspiration, …

The imaginary Ship (Nave Imaginaria)

If you walk a little further into the forest (the village is between the forest and the sea) suddenly you find a house that looks like a boat, but bigger. Ahouse built like a ship, with in between bottles with candles moving with the wind, made with love, creativity and patience. This house, which isn’t really a house if not a boat, is called the “imaginary ship” (nave imaginaria)

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBNObyHg1-k ) and one can go and return to his childhood for a while or let your imagination flow. The problem is, that they probably (almost sure but hopefully not)are going to take the house off there, for many reasons (not done as it should be, people throw trash to the neighbors, make pipi in the neighbors garden, … ) Many people and many opinions on this house, you can make you your own one, but for sure the problem to trash and pipi is not the captain, if not, we are, the people who will see this house … which is really spectacular!

What else…..

Apart from all the art (which is a bit like trade, but cute) there is a very beautiful beach by the sea and many huge sets of rocks in front of a big wave Pacific Ocean. It is great to sit by the sea and watch the waves break with giant rocks. For many people “Isla Negra” is the preferred place for retreats or simply disconnect a bit from day to day! For me it is also an oasis of peace and you can forget all past, so I recommend to go there!! And besides lowering the prettiest sunset I saw in my life was in Isla Negra … Hopefully one day you can feel the tranquility and peace of the island, which is no island, but it is still a little island ….

Ingles:

Valparaíso my love

44 hills that rise in a natural amphitheater overlooking the ocean merge with the sky. Walk the streets of the hill, the narrow passages, stairs, balconies, hanging houses and seem to reach the ancient passenger lifts, in the background the wide sea … 120 kilometers from Santiago, one of the oldest cities across Chile and capital of the fifth region, city of art, culture, music, capital of tattoos, world heritage site and a city full of graffiti!!!!! ! That and more is Valparaíso!

My day in Valpo

We went in the morning and when we got there immediately started walking. I already went many times to Valparaiso and every time I find one street that I never saw before, more cute graffiti as above, a new store, a new restaurant, where the food is even richer, and every time I go happy back to my home but tired from walking and walking.

For any street we walked we saw graffiti’s. We walked up to the house of Pablo Neruda (Chile’s most famous poet). The uploaded by hills on foot are heavy, but luckily there funicular going up, you can take them if you are already tired. Anyway, at least once you have to drive with these funiculars … It’s a little scary … If you do you will understand… 🙂 but it’s a must!

Valparaiso is also famous for its harbor. If one goes up a hill and then walk along the edge of the hills, always in between one has a spectacular view of the harbor with military boats, Ships and colorful boats of fishermen!!

To finish the day a good Pisco

If you go down to the sea there are two docks, the pier Prat is on one side and the pier baron on the other. There are two restaurants, I recommend you go to the pier baron. The Pisco Sour is exquisite 🙂 and the attention very good. The view is spectacular and if you in the evening reache the pier you can see Valpo at Night, which is the nicest thing ever, because all the hills are filled with small lights that looks like stars all over…. There it is perfect to finish the day and the Valparaiso adventure with a snack and something good to eat! We just did that!

Your Trip to Valpo

From our hostel in Providencia you can go on foot in two minutes the Salvador metro station, there you go with the red line to the central station and from there depart at least every half hour or more often buses to Valparaiso and only worth as 2500 pesos one normal day.

For those who want to stay in Valparaiso for a night there are many hostels, we work a lot with the hostel la valija (www.lavalijahostel.cl) and recommend that one. And for those who want to make a good tour: search wally 🙂 (http://www.tours4tips.com/en/Valparaiso-Free-Tour.html)

Ingles:

We told you already a lot about activities you can do in Santiago and talked about festivals and so on, now we found that it is time to also show you what happens in Santiago in the Nights.

Karaoke, discos, live music, trendy bars, casinos, theaters, cinemas and culture are part of the entertaining alternatives offered from the bohemian neighborhoods of the capital for an unforgettable night.

The Chileans are very good to celebrate, even if there is no reason any … 🙂 We like to party, which in Chile is “carrete”. You leave already at night and returne early in the morning … for the after-hour. There are also places where they sell snacks to revitalize the body, such as tenderloin or completo, two of the most typical Chilean sandwiches. Chileans often refer to these dishes as “bajon”, being intended to combat hunger and the effects of the dreaded hangover, that Chileans call “caña”.

Here we show a certain neighborhoods where you can find night activities, whether it be a bar, club, disco, restaurants, live music, theater and more. In other articles (to come) we are going to present some places into details, here a small overview.

The most popular is the Bellavista neighborhood (commune Providencia and Recoleta). Bellavista is located about 15 minutes to walk from our hostel located in Providencia. At the entrance you find the Patio Bellavista where there are many restaurants that are perfect to start with a drink and nibbles a fun night. Then you can go through two streets which are full of bars, discos, etc. which are the street Pio Nono and constitución. There are many places with all kind of music. Or you can stay in the Bellavista patio and visit such Backstage with performances of live music and the Cachafaz that besides being a good place for a drink. It is a theater café concert with performances by tango, comedians and even karaoke.

In Nuñoa neighborhood is the Nuñoa plaza, which is more quiet than the Bellavista but full of bars, pubs and restaurants also. To go for a drink with friends and peck is typical, for example an icy michelada with a chorillana, it’s perfect. You can also eat very rich for such little money in a Peruvian restaurants that are there. And obviously there’s also some places for dancing or live music, who likes rock for example would have to go to the “batuta”.

In Providencia is a street called Manuel Montt, there you can also find many bar, clubs and karaoke. The most famous place in this street is Liguria, with its Chilean cuisine and good drinks and the urban myth that when you have every Wednesday karaoke on Thursdays live music and on Friday we Aji Hostel we go with all our passengers to urban myth and all our guests are free!! This street is like 10 minutes from our hostel away.

So many places in Santiago and nightlife is every day … That was a small impression of neighborhoods so that when you want to leave without knowing what disco, club, pub or bar you’ll end up you already have an idea. If you are looking for something specific, expect articles I’ll write after visiting some more places J and I have already a place in mind that I want to recommend ….

English

time to visit nature

Now that it finally seems to get spring and summer is coming it is time to go back to fresh air. For all who like to move in nature we have here a traveltip in Santiago which seems like heaven!!

In the “parque natural aguas de ramón” there is much room for walking and trekking. You’ll be able to find trails of varying difficulty; you can find routes according to the physical conditions of each individual.

Besides the different paths there are more parks like more trails near there yet. But this time we recommend this because there are three routes that are especially nice.

From our hostel in Providence for example take the Metro station in Salvador take the red line to tobalaba. In tobalaba you transfer to the Blue Line to Francisco Bilbao. From Francisco Bilbao, you take the micro D08 (Whereabouts by Av. Bilbao, traffic direction east). Get off at Av.Padre Vildósola Silva Carlos Hurtado, Plaza La Reina. In Plaza La Reina, take a taxi or walk 25 min by Onofre Jarpa towards the mountains. There you get to the park.

When you get to the park there is a place where you start your way up. You’ll find gazebos, bridges, waterfalls and places of interaction with nature, ideal to complement and reinforce cognitive and spiritual formation.

There are three stops on this way, they are like the three destinations. You choose the destination that seems physically possible for you or that you like! As higher as you want to go up, the earlier you have to be there. All the way there are rivers, waterfalls and many beautiful views, so even if you want get on to the last destination you also can see a lot and you’re sure to enjoy!

Que el color, la música y la danza llenen sus corazones.

This coming weekend will be the thousand drums- parade in Valparaiso, edition number 15.

This weekend is special, Valparaiso let the streets been taken from peace, the people, the joy and the party. It is a carnival passing through the streets of Valparaiso with good vibes, good people and the idea of unifying various cultural sectors, music, dance, art, street art and theater, in one place.

People gather in public spaces to highlight Chilean culture and traditions and to protest with peace and happiness for human rights.

They are manifestations of social discontent and a call to retrieve what is believed lost, especially historical heritage. But it is also designed to meet and enjoy the joy and art. There are everywhere gigs, painted bodies, dressed people, folk dancers, and more. This year the teme is “homenaje a Valparaiso” .

This event equal is to promote Valparaiso as cultural city and city of peace that is always willing to interact with people and culture. Because of this and his architecture they named the city as a world heritage. So even if you are not in Chile or in Valparaiso this weekend you definitely have to go there to see it!

If you want to stay for a night or two in Valparaiso we suggest here two hostels (Valparaiso has many choices of hostels)